


Family Medallion

by bluemisfortune



Series: ROAN AU [22]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-27
Updated: 2017-04-27
Packaged: 2018-10-24 11:44:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10741044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluemisfortune/pseuds/bluemisfortune
Summary: Michael barely remembers his brothers. Chris is everything he imagined though.





	Family Medallion

 Medallion had once been a sprawling metropolis. Michael barely remembers, if he’s honest, but he’s seen the pictures. He has hazy memories of light and sound and bustling chaos. He remembers chasing after Thomas and Chris and Father.

 Now Medallion has been abandoned by the Heartland Empire. It fell into disrepair and the population dwindled. It’s almost empty. Rundown and quiet. 

 It’s nothing like what Michael expected after years of nostalgic fantasy. 

 

 “Your grace,” one of the women says softly. 

 Michael smiles absently, watching Duke Heraldic working. He’s been coming to Medallion to see him for a few weeks now, but he’s never been able to approach and talk to him. Even if Medallion isn’t the incredible city it used to be, Chris is every bit the noble Michael imagined. Even if unconventional. 

 Chris turns, pushing his hair back from his face and sitting on the ladder steps. The woman smiles and holds up a mug. Chris smiles back and takes the mug, sipping slowly.

 “Thank you.” 

 “It’s very kind of you to help us like this, your grace,” she says. “It’s such a shame your father passed. Not that he ever helped us quite like this.”

 “There was little need for constant repairs like this when he was around,” Chris replies gently. “This city is my home, I’ll do what I can to help those in it.”

 “You’re such a good boy,” an older woman coos. “We need more nobles like you. Won’t you come and have dinner with us, your grace?”

 “If I can,” he says. 

 When Chris’ drink is done, the pair of women leave him to return to work, working on one of the street lamps. They’re beautiful. Set up to look like old fashioned gas lamps. Michael smiles, watching Chris work. He doesn’t look like a noble really. He’s still handsome and elegant. He’s every bit as angelic as Michael remembers. Proud and beautiful even when in work clothes and his hair pulled back messily. And not wearing the traditional veil of all nobles. 

 

 “You’ve been watching me for a while,” Chris says quietly. Michael straightens up and Chris glances back at him. “Can I help you?” 

 “You’re Christopher Arclight?” Michael says quietly, walking across the empty street. He leans against the lamp and Chris smiles down at him, nodding slightly. “I just… wanted to be sure...”

 He frowns, tugging at the peak of his hood. Now he’s here, Michael doesn’t really know how to do this. How to tell Chris it’s him. Would Chris even believe him? Would he recognise him? 

 “This place has changed a lot,” Michael says, tilting his head away. “It’s nothing like how I remember it.”

 “You’ve been here before?” Chris says, apparently not bothered by the change of subject. “Must have been a long time ago, if you don’t remember it being like this. King Heartland has practically encouraged Medallion falling apart.”

 “It was years ago,” he replies, nodding slightly. “Before the empire.” 

 “That long?” Chris sighs and puts down his tools for a moment, gazing out at the city with a small, wistful smile. “It was beautiful back then. I used to come here with my brothers for the winter festival.”

 Michael smiles and nods. He dimly recalls. He’d cling to Thomas’ hand as they walked through the snowfall, lit up by the same lamps Chris is now fixing. Thomas used to tell him tall tales about how their ice cream was flavoured snow that fell in foreign lands, imported at great expense. Like the idiot child he was, so trusting and in awe of his older brother, he took Thomas’ word as true. 

 “You had two younger brothers, right?” Michael says quietly. “What happened to them?”

 “I couldn’t say,” Chris sighs. “They were taken from me after…”

 “After what happened to your father?” 

 Chris laughs bitterly. “To him? That makes it sound like he’s a victim.”

 “Isn’t he dead? I heard he was killed. Isn’t that why you’ve taken the title?” Chris shakes his head and Michael frowns a little. He’d always thought their father to be dead. Why else would they have been abandoned and separated? Why else wouldn’t he have come to save them? “What happened to him?” 

 “Sometimes… duty is a miserable thing,” Chris says. That’s not really an answer. “My father did what had to be done. But, it destroyed our family and opened the way for the Heartland Empire. The situation maybe grim now, but it can be rectified. It would have been far worse. I hate him for what he’s done, but I know he had to do it.”

 He smiles and shuts the lamp, climbing down from the ladder and setting his tools on the pavement. Michael remains silent, watching his older brother. It’s taken so long to find him. It’s taken so long to find Chris. Michael hadn’t even begun to know where to look. Now, seeing Chris in front of him like this, he’s everything Michael ever imagined. 

 

 “I’m sorry, how can I help you?” Chris says.

 “I…” He frowns a little. They’d been separated by the empire. He couldn’t be sure Chris isn’t being watched. What would happen if they were seen together? “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have bothered you.” 

 He turns away and lowers his head. Just as Michael is about to walk away, Chris catches his hand. Michael turns and Chris presses his thumb lightly against a scar on the back of Michael’s hand. Michael and Thomas had been running around, playing with their dog in the gardens. Michael had tripped, his hand had been badly broken and the scar never healed. Thomas always said it was cool. It looked like Michael’s crest, apparently.

 Chris had been paying that much attention to something so subtle?

 Chris smiles and steps closer, Michael staring up at him. “You seem wary. I won’t push you to stay or explain. I know this must be hard after so long. Just know, we never stopped looking for you. We never stopped trying to find where you’d been taken.”

 “Thomas is…”

 “He’s… he’s Thomas.” Michael nods a little. That’s a good sign. Thomas was always indescribable. Just Thomas. “But he’s safe and well and happy. Mostly. We’re in contact. I live out at Silver Water. Do you know it?” Michael nods again. The haunted house. Why is Chris there? “Come and see me when you’re ready.”

 “They’ll be watching you,” Michael whispers.

 “Not out at Silver Water,” Chris replies. “Whenever you’re ready to come home and talk, or if you’re afraid of being seen here, I’m there most of the time.” Michael nods. “I’m glad you’re alright. I look forward to hearing how you’ve been.”

 Michael nods, his hand slipping from Chris’. He glances back at Chris as he walks away. Chris smiles gently, watching him go before turning away. 

 

 On the train home, Michael flicking through business and organising on his phone, his thoughts drift back to his brothers almost constantly. How could they not? It’s hard to concentrate on anything else. Chris and Thomas are both alive and well and in contact. And they’ve been looking for him. Their father is alive. Michael smiles to himself, gazing down at his phone in his hands, not really reading the messages. There’s no way he can focus. 

 He wonders what Thomas is like now. It’s been well over a decade since he last saw them. He can’t help but imagine the handsome, elegant man Thomas must have become too. Just like Chris. Just was warm and tender and charming as ever. Just as soft hearted and loving.

 Maybe he’s even grown out of his bad attitude.

 

 Michael’s life certainly hasn’t been bad. He wanders down the street to see his grandma - foster grandma - sweeping the porch of their house. They’ve loved him. Cared for him. Raised him as if their own and kept him safe. 

 “Michael,” Gran say with a soft smile. Michael smiles back, leaning down to kiss her cheek and sidestepping to avoid her broom. “You’re two hours late.”

 “Sorry, Gran,” Michael laughs, getting to the doorway. “The train was delayed.”

 “You could have called,” she says, sweeping the brush at his feet. 

 “Sorry, sorry!” 

 “Go and put some tea on and I might forgive you. Your parents are home.”

 Michael nods, heading into the house. His foster family is lovely. They’ve been so good to him, even if his parents aren’t around very often. He kicks off his shoes at the door and heads straight through to the kitchen to put tea on.

 “I’m home,” he calls up the stairs in passing.

 “What time do you call this?” Akari yells back over warm greetings from his parents. “Two hours, Michael. That’s not just a bit late.”

 “I’m twenty-three, Akari,” he replies, pouring the tea out calmly. “I’m not a child anymore.”

 Michael smiles as Akari’s door slams and quiet footsteps come down the stairs. Michael turns slightly, watching his father for a moment before taking a cup out to Gran. She smiles back, patting his arm before he turns to his father. 

 “You looked stressed,” Kazuma says. Michael frowns but nods a little, sitting quietly on the couch. His father ruffles his hair, that Michael instantly straightens out again, and sits at his side. “Forget all those duties and troubles, Michael. This is your home. You’re no rebellion leader here.” 

 “How do you know about that?” 

 “I know more than you’d think, kid,” he laughs. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell your sister.” 

 Michael nods gratefully. If Akari found out he’s one of the leaders of the rebellion against the empire, he’d either be locked up and never allowed out the house again, or be somehow wrangled into being her official source for scoops.

 “I met one of my brothers today,” Michael says quietly. 

 “Ah. Which one?”

 “Chris.” Kazuma nods. “He said he’s in contact with Thomas. They’re ok. They’re pretty happy too.” 

 “That’s good,” he replies. Michael nods. “You know, Michael, even if you find your brothers and want to be with them, no matter what happens, this will always be a home for you. We’ll always be your family. And maybe one day you’ll be able meet your little brother too.”

 Michael smiles and nods. He’s heard so much about Yuuma. “I’d like that.”


End file.
